As the Congress-led Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its 108th day on Saturday, December 24, actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan, president and founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) joined the walk at New Delhi. The Yatra began in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari on September 7.
Kamal, via his Twitter account has said that, “I and Maiam executives are participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra organised by my dear friend Rahul Gandhi in order to protect India’s pluralism. As a citizen of India, I will always do my part in protecting the land, language and people. Jai Hind.”
Earlier this week, speaking to TNM on why Kamal was joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra, MNM State Secretary Snehan had said that it was to counter the divisive politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party, “What Kamal has always been saying is that, anything that divides people does not have our support. We do not support division on the basis of religion, race, colour or hierarchies. India is a blend of various cultures and lifestyles.” He’d also added that Rahul Gandhi had started the Yatra for the sake of unity, “In that regard, he has been inviting people whom he thinks share the same ideals. That’s how we have been invited and so we are joining the Yatra,” Snehan had told TNM.
In videos shared on Maiam’s social media accounts, party members registered their support for the Yatra. “Kamal has always set an example by speaking out whenever the voices in support of unity have been crushed anywhere in India. We have come to join him in that journey. We believe that this journey will be a great success.”
இந்தியாவின் பன்மைத்துவத்தைப் பாதுகாக்க அன்புச் சகோதரர் @RahulGandhi முன்னெடுக்கும் பாரத் ஜோடோ ஒற்றுமை யாத்திரையில் நானும், @maiamofficial நிர்வாகிகளும் கலந்துகொள்கிறோம். மண் மொழி மக்கள் காக்க ஓர் இந்தியக் குடிமகனாக என் பங்களிப்பு எப்போதும் இருக்கும்.ஜெய் ஹிந்த்! #BharatJodoYatra
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 24, 2022
Thousands of supporters walked behind former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday as he led the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Badarpur border to Ashram Chowk, with the entire stretch decked up in tricolours, balloons and banners of the leader. The Yatra entered Delhi on Saturday morning with scores of people from Haryana and Delhi joining it at the Badarpur border. Security from Badarpur to Ashram Chowk was beefed up, with barricades erected and teams of police personnel deployed at multiple points. Congress workers have set up camps at various places on the route of the Yatra, where song and dance programmes have been organised.
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said the BJP is scared of Bharat Jodo Yatra as it is getting a huge response from people. "They are scared of this Yatra, that's the reason they are coming up with such excuses. Rahul Gandhi ji is spreading love and peace in the country," Kanhaiya said, referring to the Union government’s recent letter to Rahul Gandhi to stop the Yatra if COVID-19 norms are not followed.
Senior party leaders, including former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala, Shaktisinh Gohil and others, accompanied Gandhi.
For the first time since the Bharat Jodo Yatra began, Rahul Gandhi was joined by his mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi, her husband Robert Vadra and their children, This was the second time that Sonia Gandhi walked in the Yatra. She had earlier taken part in the march in October when it was in Mandya in Karnataka.